Poor C-man has gotten his first ear infection. We went to the ER last night around 1000. He has been getting increasingly stopped up with tons of drainage, a fever, and the last two nights he has not been able to sleep at all since he can't breathe. Yes, that means we didn't get any sleep either! We decided to take him to the ER and the doc thinks it is probably an ear infection so he put him on antibiotics, poor guy! He just can't breathe at all through his nose, I'm constantly wiping snot all day long and he has a fever. I think the antibiotic will help, he crashed just a little while ago and hopefully will catch up on some much needed sleep. Pray that he feels better soon whatever it is because he really needs to have his yearly shots, we're behind, we have a marriage retreat this weekend, and he needs to get his surgery scheduled for his adenoids and tonsils.
It seems like its one darn thing after another. We finally get his vomiting under control with this new tube and he goes and gets sicks on us! The tube is working well though and he has had very little vomit over the past week! Thanks for your prayers.
Love,
Momma (Nurse) Bridges:)
Monday, September 22, 2008
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
More pics
I just realized the other day that I didn't have any pictures of Carsten naked so I could show his girlfriend(s) when he gets older:)! I took care of that right away and got some cute shots of him in his birthday suit. I love the one of him and Chad even though its blurry, I'm not a good picture taker but I try.
We started our continuous feeds last night and it went great!! The alarm didn't go off all night and Carsten didn't get tangled up in the cord. We'll see if we continue to be that lucky! Carsten didn't throw up this morning for the first time in over a year! AMAZING! Thank you Lord! Wow, what a relief, I've forgotten what it feels like to be able to relax not having to anticipate the next vomit. The morning he got his new tube we were waiting in the GI department and lo and behold, yes, he vomited ALL over a nurse! I couldn't help but chuckle even though I felt really bad, but it was a good confirmation that we did the right thing:) Needless to say, I am so grateful for all the progress. I just hope that he continues to eat better, maintain hunger and drive to eat even though being fed at night, and can drink eventually. We had an OT feeding appointment today and it went well. He even ate a piece of a cheese puff!
Enjoy the pics, go Sarah! (had to slip that in:)
We started our continuous feeds last night and it went great!! The alarm didn't go off all night and Carsten didn't get tangled up in the cord. We'll see if we continue to be that lucky! Carsten didn't throw up this morning for the first time in over a year! AMAZING! Thank you Lord! Wow, what a relief, I've forgotten what it feels like to be able to relax not having to anticipate the next vomit. The morning he got his new tube we were waiting in the GI department and lo and behold, yes, he vomited ALL over a nurse! I couldn't help but chuckle even though I felt really bad, but it was a good confirmation that we did the right thing:) Needless to say, I am so grateful for all the progress. I just hope that he continues to eat better, maintain hunger and drive to eat even though being fed at night, and can drink eventually. We had an OT feeding appointment today and it went well. He even ate a piece of a cheese puff!
Enjoy the pics, go Sarah! (had to slip that in:)
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Carsten's Appointment
Carsten's appointment exceeded our expectations and we were definitely surprised by the proactive doctors at Children's Mercy!!! ENT decided they are going to take his adenoids and tonsils out, yeah! That means easier breathing, less snoring at night, and maybe, just maybe, he can close his mouth to breath and keep that cute little tongue in more:) They also saw a cyst in his throat possibly from being intubated during heart surgery that may have increased in size and contributed to his labored breathing. They are probably going to remove this during the surgery. Possibly tubes in his ears, depending on whether there is considerable fluid in his ears when he is under anesthetic.
GI went well also. The doctor doesn't want to do the nissen surgery, mostly because he is gaining weight (he was 21 lbs and 14 oz!) and he doesn't feel that the risks outweigh the complications especially since he is thriving. He thinks that he will outgrow the reflux, so, on Monday we are going back to radiology and getting what is called a GJ tube. They will convert his G-tube into a GJ. Basically, the tube will go down further into his small intestines and he will be fed continuously throughout the night. The intestines can't hold as much food as the stomach so he will get a slow drip through the night, about half of what he gets during the day now, and then we will feed him by mouth and smaller amounts through the tube during the day. The goal is to control the reflux, the food going into the GJ will NOT come up, it can't because its so far down, and buy him some time until he grows out of this.
I couldn't be more ecstatic about the progress and like I said the doctors proactive steps to help our son. I can't wait until Monday night, I can just turn the drip on at 8:00 and not have to wake him up again at 11 to feed him which also means Momma Bridges will get more sleep!!!
Chad is taking his exam right now for the follow on school next year. He will have an interview also sometime next week. I know he will do well on both and I'm so proud of him either way.
Have a great weekend!
Kari and Carsten
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
I can't help myself!! PLEASE WATCH!!
http://link. brightcove. com/services/ player/bcpid1766 638341
This is a video of Sarah Palin speaking at her church in Wasilla Alaska, this will blow your mind and rock your socks off, Praise Jesus for this woman. I'm just so encouraged to see God working in our country and raising up leaders liker her. Wow, I'm just sitting here amazed speechless.
Pay attention to the "future" mentioned in the pastor's prayer at the end and think about God laying the groundwork for His glory in these last days!" I copied this quote from another email in my down syndrome moms group.
http://link. brightcove. com/services/ player/bcpid1766 638341
Praise God Praise God Praise God is all I can keep saying!!
This is a video of Sarah Palin speaking at her church in Wasilla Alaska, this will blow your mind and rock your socks off, Praise Jesus for this woman. I'm just so encouraged to see God working in our country and raising up leaders liker her. Wow, I'm just sitting here amazed speechless.
Pay attention to the "future" mentioned in the pastor's prayer at the end and think about God laying the groundwork for His glory in these last days!" I copied this quote from another email in my down syndrome moms group.
http://link. brightcove. com/services/ player/bcpid1766 638341
Praise God Praise God Praise God is all I can keep saying!!
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
New subject
Okay for all you who are tired of hearing me go on and on about Palin I guess I'll talk about something else. I'm feeling really fallish today and getting excited about the changing colors and cooler weather. What I like best about fall is the comfy foods that come along with it. I really want to make more meals this fall that match the weather. Some that I've got in mind are apple pies, lots of soups, roasts, pumpkin/squash things, cranberry stuff, and I really want to learn how to make a turkey. I made a new chicken casserole last night that had sour cream, mushrooms, sherry, paprika, butter, salt, garlic powder all mixed together and poured over 4 chicken breasts. You cook it for 1 1/2 hours with foil, then remove the foil and cook another 30 minutes, then serve over rice cooked with parsley and basil, yummm! I think Chad liked it. I also bought some apples so I want to make an apple pie sometime this week. I'm really missing my cake making and have been waiting for the right opportunity and about 10 spare hours to waste, yeah right!
I had my protestant women of the chapel this morning. Prayer group was really good. We focused on missionaries today and prayed a lot for the election and the candidates. Oops, I won't go there because we all now that will lead into a Palin tangent!
Carsten has some BIG appointments this week, ENT, GI, and feeding clinic. I hope we can find some better answers/alternatives to Carsten's vomiting problem, please pray for this if you think of it. Its a beautiful day outside here in Leavenworth so I think I'm going to get outside and go for a walk with Carsten. I'll blog again after our appointments on Thursday.
Love,
Momma Bridges
I had my protestant women of the chapel this morning. Prayer group was really good. We focused on missionaries today and prayed a lot for the election and the candidates. Oops, I won't go there because we all now that will lead into a Palin tangent!
Carsten has some BIG appointments this week, ENT, GI, and feeding clinic. I hope we can find some better answers/alternatives to Carsten's vomiting problem, please pray for this if you think of it. Its a beautiful day outside here in Leavenworth so I think I'm going to get outside and go for a walk with Carsten. I'll blog again after our appointments on Thursday.
Love,
Momma Bridges
Monday, September 8, 2008
New Article on Palin
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26602065/page/2/
Okay, this article made me cry!! Please read this one about Palin, my husband found it and sent it to me this morning. It talks about the birth of Trig with Down Syndrome and her pregnancy. I think this article more than any other shows her belief in a loving Creator, our Father. I know she's walking a tight line between motherhood and her career, but she obviously believes that God has her in this place for a reason. Its almost like the story of Esther in the Old Testament, "For such a time as this."
Blessings today,
Kari
Okay, this article made me cry!! Please read this one about Palin, my husband found it and sent it to me this morning. It talks about the birth of Trig with Down Syndrome and her pregnancy. I think this article more than any other shows her belief in a loving Creator, our Father. I know she's walking a tight line between motherhood and her career, but she obviously believes that God has her in this place for a reason. Its almost like the story of Esther in the Old Testament, "For such a time as this."
Blessings today,
Kari
Friday, September 5, 2008
Down Syndrome Playgroup!
I'm so very excited this morning, its our first ever Down Syndrome playgroup with other moms and kids!! I'm so thankful the Lord brought us here and has provided other moms that I can relate too. I will take some pictures of the group and post them later on here (if I can find the camera before I leave!) We are also going to get respite started today, a girl in nursing school is coming by today to meet Carsten and talk about when she can come and watch him. Yeah!! What a good Friday!
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Palin's speech
So I love Sarah Palin, she's my new hero!! When she said that she would be a "friend and advocate" of families with children with disabilities I started crying. I really feel like we could be best friends:) And then sweet little Trig, ahhh, wasn't he cute with her holding him up on stage after, I thought, that could be my little Carsten:)
I was a little worried though when Cindy McCain was holding him during the speech, I though, if Trig is anything like Carsten he would have thrown up all over her by now and ruined her Gucci outfit (or whatever)!
Seriously, I feel like I can relate with her as I'm sure many other people felt. I think the media liked her and had a lot of positive things to say after. We'll just have to see what happens in the next two months and how it turns out. I will continue to pray for ALL of the candidates, I know that McCain is not going to be elected just because Palin has a child with a disability or she's a woman. I know that God has it all under control and He knows exactly who needs to win. His will and plan can not be thwarted and I can rest in that.
Praise God Carsten finally got some medication for his congestion/drainage that he suffers from every night. The pharmacist told me that it would either make him drowsy or hyperactive, dear Lord, please not the latter he's already bouncing off the ceilings all day!
Back to my piles and piles of laundry, our washer/dryer is in the basement here which gives me even more excuses to put it off, I think I've had a load in the washer wet now for about 3 days! Think he's waking up, better run!
Momma Bridges
I was a little worried though when Cindy McCain was holding him during the speech, I though, if Trig is anything like Carsten he would have thrown up all over her by now and ruined her Gucci outfit (or whatever)!
Seriously, I feel like I can relate with her as I'm sure many other people felt. I think the media liked her and had a lot of positive things to say after. We'll just have to see what happens in the next two months and how it turns out. I will continue to pray for ALL of the candidates, I know that McCain is not going to be elected just because Palin has a child with a disability or she's a woman. I know that God has it all under control and He knows exactly who needs to win. His will and plan can not be thwarted and I can rest in that.
Praise God Carsten finally got some medication for his congestion/drainage that he suffers from every night. The pharmacist told me that it would either make him drowsy or hyperactive, dear Lord, please not the latter he's already bouncing off the ceilings all day!
Back to my piles and piles of laundry, our washer/dryer is in the basement here which gives me even more excuses to put it off, I think I've had a load in the washer wet now for about 3 days! Think he's waking up, better run!
Momma Bridges
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
CBS Letdown
Okay, I'm sad. I think they might have cut out the segment on Down Syndrome. I will watch and see if they show it at 1000 after Palin's speech. Maybe they will run it again sometime:( Sorry to all who watched, what a letdown. I'm still looking forward to Sarah Palin's speech though!
WATCH CBS TONIGHT!!!
Everyone, please watch CBS tonight!! They are doing a special with Katie Couric on the prenatal diagnosis of Down Syndrome, good timing with Palin's emergence on the scene.
I don't know what time it will be, (I think 5:30) you will have to check with your local network, it's on CBS and will include an interview with Kansas City's Down Syndrome director Amy Allison. I met her a few weeks ago in Kansas City. I hope everyone gets a chance to watch! This subject is close to my heart since Carsten was prenatally diagnosed and there are so many new tests coming out to determine Down Syndrome earlier and abort. I hope many's views are changed through this segment.
Also watch governor Palin speak after the special, exciting!
Please pray for my patience this morning. Carsten is vomiting like crazy, I'm definitely not a heartbeat away from the presidency but I AM about a heartbeat away from calling and scheduling that nissen surgery!
I don't know what time it will be, (I think 5:30) you will have to check with your local network, it's on CBS and will include an interview with Kansas City's Down Syndrome director Amy Allison. I met her a few weeks ago in Kansas City. I hope everyone gets a chance to watch! This subject is close to my heart since Carsten was prenatally diagnosed and there are so many new tests coming out to determine Down Syndrome earlier and abort. I hope many's views are changed through this segment.
Also watch governor Palin speak after the special, exciting!
Please pray for my patience this morning. Carsten is vomiting like crazy, I'm definitely not a heartbeat away from the presidency but I AM about a heartbeat away from calling and scheduling that nissen surgery!
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
McCain/Palin
http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/stumper/archive/2008/09/02/graham.aspx
Here's another good article that came out today with one of McCain's closest advisers and Newsweek. Take a look. There have been a few more surprises on Palin disclosed this week including her teen daughter's pregnancy, however, I think most people understand that every family is going to have a few skeletons. I think the fact that Palin is accepting her daughter and her pregnancy out of wedlock tells even more about her character now. She didn't try to hide it, she encouraged her daughter to have the baby which again speaks for pro-life, and, in grace loves her unconditionally. I bet many christian families can identify with a similar story.
I do wonder how she's doing it though, raising Trig with Down Syndrome and running for Vice President, he must not have any reflux, heart, or feeding issues:)
I only wish the reporters and media would learn that the correct way to say it is "Palin has a CHILD WITH DOWN SYNDROME, not a DOWN SYNDROME CHILD:)" Okay, I know I'm being picky and really most of the time I can let it go. I think being a mom with a child with Down Syndrome as well as having been to occupational therapy school where they pound correct terminology into you makes it worse for me. But really, come one, you people are professionals that know all about politics and government but you can't figure out the correct way to identify a child with a disability. If I were Palin, I'd be correcting those reporters on the spot.
I'll be watching the republican convention this week and praying for a good turnout and for hurricane Hannah and Ike to pass us by. I'm learning so much about prayer in my prayer group here on the post. There are four older women and one my age. We have been praying for all sorts of things; government, leaders, soldiers, families, personal requests. Carsten did good in the nursery today, my mommy light came on and I realized I was taking him without his favorite brown blankie, problem solved! He was a charm today, won't be forgetting that anymore.
Back to my domestic life, sigh...I think I'll make lasagna this week. Please be praying for Carsten as we have his ENT appointment coming up and also another GI appt. We are still praying/considering getting a nissen, surgery to close off the sphincter at the top of his stomach so he can't throw up anymore. I'm getting more and more used to the idea and realizing that he probably needs it as his vomiting is not getting any better.
We had a fun weekend in Northwest Arkansas with both sides of the family, pray that Chad gets into his second year course called SAMS so we can stay two years and be closer for longer!
Love,
Momma Bridges
Here's another good article that came out today with one of McCain's closest advisers and Newsweek. Take a look. There have been a few more surprises on Palin disclosed this week including her teen daughter's pregnancy, however, I think most people understand that every family is going to have a few skeletons. I think the fact that Palin is accepting her daughter and her pregnancy out of wedlock tells even more about her character now. She didn't try to hide it, she encouraged her daughter to have the baby which again speaks for pro-life, and, in grace loves her unconditionally. I bet many christian families can identify with a similar story.
I do wonder how she's doing it though, raising Trig with Down Syndrome and running for Vice President, he must not have any reflux, heart, or feeding issues:)
I only wish the reporters and media would learn that the correct way to say it is "Palin has a CHILD WITH DOWN SYNDROME, not a DOWN SYNDROME CHILD:)" Okay, I know I'm being picky and really most of the time I can let it go. I think being a mom with a child with Down Syndrome as well as having been to occupational therapy school where they pound correct terminology into you makes it worse for me. But really, come one, you people are professionals that know all about politics and government but you can't figure out the correct way to identify a child with a disability. If I were Palin, I'd be correcting those reporters on the spot.
I'll be watching the republican convention this week and praying for a good turnout and for hurricane Hannah and Ike to pass us by. I'm learning so much about prayer in my prayer group here on the post. There are four older women and one my age. We have been praying for all sorts of things; government, leaders, soldiers, families, personal requests. Carsten did good in the nursery today, my mommy light came on and I realized I was taking him without his favorite brown blankie, problem solved! He was a charm today, won't be forgetting that anymore.
Back to my domestic life, sigh...I think I'll make lasagna this week. Please be praying for Carsten as we have his ENT appointment coming up and also another GI appt. We are still praying/considering getting a nissen, surgery to close off the sphincter at the top of his stomach so he can't throw up anymore. I'm getting more and more used to the idea and realizing that he probably needs it as his vomiting is not getting any better.
We had a fun weekend in Northwest Arkansas with both sides of the family, pray that Chad gets into his second year course called SAMS so we can stay two years and be closer for longer!
Love,
Momma Bridges
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